The Osun State Police Command has arrested 12 suspected members of a notorious cult group and recovered three firearms, two vehicles, and other exhibits in a series of coordinated operations across the state.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, the arrests were made by officers of the Anti-Cultism Unit under the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, as part of renewed efforts to combat cultism and violent crime in the state.
Ojelabi said the command acted on multiple distress calls and intelligence reports linking the suspects to attacks and extortion in Iree, Iragbiji, and Osogbo communities between October 13 and 19, 2025.
“On 13th October, 2025, at about 1700 hours, some armed hoodlums suspected to be members of an unlawful society invaded Kajogbola Area, Iree, with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons, demanding money from residents,” the statement read.
He said the suspects attacked a pharmacist and inflicted machete wounds on his head before police operatives from the Anti-Cultism Unit and Iree Division swiftly moved in and arrested five suspects at the scene.
“Immediately the distress call was received, Anti-cultism unit of the Command swung into action together with Police personnel from Iree Division, five suspects were apprehended at the scene and exhibits were recovered from them. “The suspects confessed to being members of the Eiye confraternity.
“Further investigation led to the arrest of four additional suspects in a hotel in Iree,” the statement added.